Switching industries can open the door to new opportunities, and many mid-career professionals consider it at some point, either through choice or necessity.
From a company standpoint, hiring someone from another industry can be an excellent solution to fill a key need.
But from both perspectives, some careful thought and vetting should take place.
In today’s tighter job market, I often see a need for higher skill sets. When those skill sets are in great demand, businesses might consider whether they could find a better candidate from outside their industry.
For example, I worked with a manufacturing client who needed a controller. One of the job applicants had inventory and cost accounting experience, as well as an MBA. She had been an assistant controller and had handled a variety of functions during her progression up the ladder, and was ready to take the next step. But she had spent most of her career in the service retail industry with a different type of product. Another candidate had worked in the same manufacturing industry, and had a solid career there, but lacked the progression of positions, variety of experience with different functions and the MBA.